This business of batting and resting, batting and resting, is something for which he’s never cared.

But it beats the alternative — spending a weekend on a minor league rehab assignment in Iowa or Tennessee.

Ramirez, who had been suffering from patellar tendinitis in his left knee, came off the disabled list Friday. The Cubs eased him back by inserting him as their designated hitter against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

He didn’t exactly ease into things at the plate. In his first at-bat, Ramirez tagged White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle’s fourth pitch an estimated 371 feet into the right-field bullpen for a solo home run to give his team a 2-0 lead. The Cubs went on to a 5-1 victory.

Ramirez finished the day 2-for-3 with two RBI. He nudged his batting average up to .304.

Before going on the DL — he hurt the knee after taking a misstep while crossing first base while running out a grounder June 6 against Milwaukee — Ramirez had 21 RBI in his previous 26 games.

“We missed him while he was out,” manager Lou Piniella said. “He got us a quick run in the first inning. He’s a good hitter. Good hitters can sit out and then rise to the occasion like he did today.”
Ramirez will likely be the designated hitter again today and Sunday. He might be back at third base Monday, when the Cubs host Colorado.

“This is only the second time I’ve been the DH and I don’t really like it,” Ramirez said. “But I know it’s something good for me right now. It means I don’t have to go on a rehab assignment. It would have really been tough to play third today, but I’m going to have to do it sooner or later. Starting next week, I’ll be back there.”

Ramirez dismissed the notion serving as a DH this weekend is similar to a rehab assignment.

“No. This is the real thing,” he said. “I concentrate out there. I actually concentrate more because between innings I come back (into the clubhouse) and get some swings in and stay loose.”

When Ramirez went down, he was the Cubs’ leader in homers (13) and RBI (39). Alfonso Soriano hit five home runs when Ramirez was gone to close the gap for the team lead in that department.

After Soriano’s leadoff homer Friday, he briefly tied Ramirez at 13 for the team lead. Minutes later, Ramirez regained the edge with his 14th.

Despite the big return, Ramirez is not completely comfortable at the plate.

“I don’t feel the way I would like,” he said. “But it did the job today.”

More Cubs and Sox coverage can be found online at www.dailysouthtown.com/sports.

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